Automatic switch



I (No Model.)

0. REGER & E. DUERR AUTOMATIC SWI TGH UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

CARL REGER AND EUGENE DUERR, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,890, dated February 9, 1897.

Application filed October 13, 1896. Serial No. 608,764. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CARL REGER and EUGENE DUERR, of Buffalo, i n-the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Switch, of

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. 7

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved automatic switch designed for use on street-railways and arranged to enable a motorman to open the switch and run his car upon the track branchingoff from the main track, the switch again closing automatically upon the car fully passing upon the side-track.

The invention consists principally of a pivoted switch-point connected with a lever operating two switch-levers, one of which is in the main track and the other is in the sidetrack.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same with the car in position. .Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the rod for operating the main-track switch-lever. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation, with part in section, of the car-staff; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the closing device for the staff.

In the main track Ais pivoted at B a switchpoint B, normally in a closed position, to keep the track A continuous. The switch-point B when open connects the main track A with the side-track 0, so that a car can pass from the main track to the side-track.

The switch-point B is provided near its free end with an inwardly-projecting arm B pivotally connected by a link D with a lever E, extending longitudinally in about the middle of the track A, the said lever being fulcrumed at its middle at E on a suitable foundation in the track. The forward end of the lever E is connected by a link F with the maintrack switch-lever G, fulcrumed at G and formed with a curved arm Gt, adapted to be engaged by the lower end of a staff H, fitted to slide vertically in a casing H, secured to the platform of the car I, designed to gofrom the main track A upon the side-track O. The curved arm G2 normally stands in close proximity to the inside of one of the rails of the main track A, so that the staff H when depressed comes in contact with the curved arm G to impart a swinging motion to the same in the direction of the arrow at and move the said lever into the position shown in Fig. 1. The staff H is normally held in an uppermost positionthat is, above the top rails of the lever G, as indicated in Fig. 2by means of a spring H held in the casing H and pressing on the staff H. The upper handle end 11 0f the staff H is within convenient reach of the motor-man standing on the platform of the car, so that he is enabled to press the said staif when the car approaches the switch.

The handle end H is removable from the staff to prevent unauthorized persons from manipulating the staff on the rear end of the car. When the handle end H is removed, the top of the staff is covered by a plate H hinged on the bearin g H secured to the dashboard of the car.

The other end of the lever E is pivotally connected by a link J with a switch-lever K, fulcrumed at K and formed with a curved arm K similar to the arm G and adapted to rest close to the inside of the head of one of the side-track rails, so that the flange of the car-wheel moving on the side-track engages the said arm and forces the same away from the rail to cause a swinging of the lever K and, by the link J, a swinging of the lever E in the direction of the arrow 19. This movement of the lever E causes the link D to switch the point B outwardly into a closed position and make the track A continuous, and at the same time the swinging of the lever E causes a swinging of the lever G in the inverse direction of the arrow at, so as to bring the curved arm G2 into the path of the staff H, held on the following car for the sidetrack C.

It is understood that by the arrangement described only the motorman on the car for the side-track actuates the stafi H to open the switch-point B, as described, the wheels of the car passing upon the side-track again closing the switch-point B automatically by actuating the lever K, as above explained. Thus the switch-point B is always in a closed position as soon as the car for the side-track has passed upon the same, and consequently the track A is continuous at all times for the cars on the main line.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. An automatic switch, comprising a switch-point pivoted in the main track to open and close the latter to the side-track, a lever pivotally connected with the said switchpoint, a main-track switch-1ever pivotally connected with one end of the said first-n amed lever and formed with a curved arm adapted to been gaged by a projection held on an approaching car, and a side-track switch-lever pivotally connected with the other end of the said first-mentioned lever, and also formed with a curved arm adapted to be engaged by the flange of the car-wheel of the car for the side-track, substantially as shown and described.

2. A railway having a siding, a movable switch-point, a lever fulcrumed between the rails and connected with the switch-point, a switch-lever fulcrumed on a vertical axis forward of the siding and connected to the firstnamed lever whereby to move said lever to open the switch-point, a second switch-lever fulcrumed on a vertical axis at the siding and connected to the said first-named lever whereby to move said lever to close the switchpoint, substantially as described.

3. A railway-car, having a longitudinallysliding rod, a removable handle portion at the one end thereof, a bearing carried by the car and through which the rod moves, means pressing the rod so that the handle portion thereof will be beyond the bearing, and a plate pivoted adjacent to the bearing and capable of engaging the end of the rod to which end the removable handle portion is attached,

such engagement being effected when thehandle portion is removed from the rod, substantially as described.

CARL REGER. EUGENE DUERRr Witnesses: CHARLES FAZLER, S OBRINGER. 

